Avon Barksdale is becoming paranoid and thinks he's being watched. He's also worried his phone is being tapped. He also thinks there's a snitch in D'Angelo's crew and he's told not to pay anyone until it's sorted. D'Angelo isn't too pleased when he hears Avon has given Stinkum a new territory. Judge Phelan visits the squad to sign the warrants to clone D'Angelo Barksdale's pager. The numbers they're collecting are coded and don't make much sense. Det. Prez Pryzbylewski figures it out however. McNulty and Greggs try to get information from Omar.

Another good episode. I've read that The Wire is very analytical with its storytelling and there aren't many (if any) filler episodes.

D' continues to have issues with power. He gets pissed at Bodie for throwing that bottle at Wallis and gets in Bodie's face, but doesn't do anything about it because of the pager going off. I think the 16 year old Bodie (who was actually 24 at the time) could easily beat up the 20+ year old D'. Later D' goes after the smallest kid in the gang when Bell tells him to take care of him using the cell phone. D's baby mama even sees it him and gets frustrated with him at the restaurant when they get a bad table.

Funny that Purple_Hayes and I were debating how Herc and Carver should pick up Bodie last week. I think Hayes was messing with me since he knew what was going to happen the following episode. All those two had to do was drive right into the middle of the low-rises and grab him. The interview and pool scenes with those 3 were good. I knew Bodie wasn't going to crack during the good cop/bad cop game; it was funny that he actually got Carver to act out instead. "You're supposed to be the GOOD cop, dumb mother!##$" Things took a weird tonal shift when they let Bodie play pool with him and got him a sandwich. Bodie always tries to be tough all the time so it was nice to see him being a kid. I also thought it was interesting that he backed down when Herc got in his face at the end. Instead of standing up to Herc he put his tail between his legs and thanked him for the sandwich. Bodie fears/respects Herc but we haven't ever seen him act this way to D'.

I like seeing Bell and Omar prove how smart they are. Bell thinks there is a leak in D's crew so he tells him not to pay them for a week, the person who doesn't ask for an advice is the leak. There is no leak though, right? Bell thinks there is but really it is Bubbles telling the cops info.Speaking of Bubbles, it was great when Omar showed he knew he was being followed/watched and casually name dropped Bubbles so the cops knew that he knew about their CI. "Bird? I think your snitch can handle that, shit Bubbles knows Bird"

Bubbles visits his friend in the hospital (or was it rehab? I thought I saw Johnny later when Avon/D' were visiting Avon's dad in rehab). Was heartbreaking to see Bubbles care for his friend and feel responsible. The whole reason he is helping the cops is because of this."They gonna give me a badge, I keep doing what I do." Within minute Johnny wants to know about the best place to get drugs. Poor kid hasn't learned anything.

I'm worried what Barksdale is going to do with Omar's main squeeze.

McNulty continues the tradition of being drunk every episode. This was the first episode where he wasn't driving drunk through, instead he was too drunk to put bunk beds together. A dad just wants to see his boys and his wife won't let him!

You crack me up. The cops in this show really make you angry. I believe its the fact they are so flawed that causes you to feel the honesty of the show. Cops are human. Unfortunately, McNulty's detail has morons like Herc on it. How the guy made it this far is beyond me, at least Prezbo has an excuse.

purple_hayes wrote:Source of the post If you like Omar's main squeeze, you won't like the next episode.

SPOIELRS!!!!

Jocelyn caught that Bodie had Herc's business card in his pocket. That must mean that his grandma told Bodie they were there looking for him and gave the card to Bodie.

How is that 'SPOIELRS!!!'? whatever that means... if you are talking about spoilers, this is a blog about stuffs... you've stated that spoilers are to be expected. yet, I gave you zero information about anything.

Tyler wrote:Source of the post I knew Bodie wasn't going to crack during the good cop/bad cop game; it was funny that he actually got Carver to act out instead. "You're supposed to be the GOOD cop, dumb mother!##$" Things took a weird tonal shift when they let Bodie play pool with him and got him a sandwich. Bodie always tries to be tough all the time so it was nice to see him being a kid. I also thought it was interesting that he backed down when Herc got in his face at the end. Instead of standing up to Herc he put his tail between his legs and thanked him for the sandwich. Bodie fears/respects Herc but we haven't ever seen him act this way to D'.

Yep, and consider how Herc reciprocates with a degree of grudging respect as well, and then consider how he regards some of his colleagues in the detail.

Herc and Bodie are enemies but they both take The Game pretty much at face value and embrace their respective roles in it. They're both soldiers and so there's at least some bond of respect and understanding between them.

In contrast, people like D'Angelo, Wallace, McNulty and Daniels have enough intelligence and humanity to see and care about how fucked up the game is, and try in at least limited ways to try to play by somewhat different rules.

And then there's Omar... who in one breath tells McNulty and Greggs that he doesn't think snitching is how the game ought to be played (echoing the standard ethos among criminals) but then just a moment later casually puts the police on Bird. For someone in Omar's position to give up info like that basically on a whim is not exactly playing the game by the standard rules.

Bubbles visits his friend in the hospital (or was it rehab? I thought I saw Johnny later when Avon/D' were visiting Avon's dad in rehab). Was heartbreaking to see Bubbles care for his friend and feel responsible. The whole reason he is helping the cops is because of this."They gonna give me a badge, I keep doing what I do." Within minute Johnny wants to know about the best place to get drugs. Poor kid hasn't learned anything.

"It's all in the game though, right? You taught me that!"

Johnny more readily accepts a life-threatening beating over a $40 scam than he does his friend's snitching.

I think you could argue that if anything, Johnny has learned his lessons too well.

purple_hayes wrote:How is that 'SPOIELRS!!!'? whatever that means... if you are talking about spoilers, this is a blog about stuffs... you've stated that spoilers are to be expected. yet, I gave you zero information about anything.

There's no way to interpret your comment other than a suggestion that something unpleasant with happen to Brandon in the next episode. That's definitely information, even if it's super detailed info. I'd definitely consider it a spoiler, but then I'm the sort of person who doesn't watch promos or trailers for shows or movies that I know I'm going to watch because I prefer to go in as fresh as possible.

Artukka wrote:And then there's Omar... who in one breath tells McNulty and Greggs that he doesn't think snitching is how the game ought to be played (echoing the standard ethos among criminals) but then just a moment later casually puts the police on Bird. For someone in Omar's position to give up info like that basically on a whim is not exactly playing the game by the standard rules.

I think at this early stage of the game, you can see that Omar plays by his own rules. Many criminals turn on their enemies for their own gain, that's nothing new. Becoming a CI to use the police to take down your enemy seems to be a necessary evil at times. Omar wouldn't snitch on his own crew, that's not allowed. Omar is one strange cat.

Artukka wrote:Source of the post Herc and Bodie are enemies but they both take The Game pretty much at face value and embrace their respective roles in it. They're both soldiers and so there's at least some bond of respect and understanding between them.

Great take on that scene!

Artukka wrote:Source of the post Johnny more readily accepts a life-threatening beating over a $40 scam than he does his friend's snitching.

I know, that is so sad.

Artukka wrote:Source of the post That's definitely information, even if it's super detailed info. I'd definitely consider it a spoiler

Thanks for taking my side! Purple_Hayes and I have been person friends for years so I was 80% just giving him a hard time, but I was trying to remind him not to let things slip that haven't been shown. I'm sure it's hard for veterans of the show to hear a theory and not want to tell the person if they are correct or wrong.

Some other things I forgot to mention in my original post.Prez is starting his redemption arc! When he heard them talking about the pager and codes I knew he would be the one to crack it.

Who is John Bailey? He was mentioned in this episode for being shot up and killed by 3 guns. Is he the 3rd guy in Omar's crew? The one who was giving Omar a gross looking when Omar was flirting with his boyfriend?